In today’s world, professional organizing isn’t just about creating order and systems, it’s about aligning our environments with our values. As an organizer, I am always trying to find sustainable and economically conscious organizing solutions. Our goal as organizers is to reuse, recycle, reduce and keep it out of the landfill!

    When we talk about sustainable organizing, we mean more than just buying eco-friendly bins. It’s about rethinking consumptions and helping clients make intentional decisions about what they own and what they purchase.

    The holidays are special, filled with family traditions, cozy game nights (have you tried Codenames or Ticket to Ride), sparkling lights, delicious food, cookie decorating and, of course, a lot of stuff. They can also bring clutter, overspending, and that post-holiday “where do I put all this stuff?” stress.

    When did the magic of the holidays turn into surviving the holidays? What if it could be a little different this year? Is there a way to spread holiday cheer, save money, reduce stress, and reduce stuff – and at the same time do our teeny part to care for the environment? Good news! Yes, you can. Here are some tips.

    Thinking consciously about sustainability really matters during the holidays. It’s often the season of excess - wrapping paper, packaging, gifts, decor and many, many strings of lights for inside and outside. By taking sustainability-first approach, you can:
    • Reduce waste while still celebrating beautifully.
    • Spend less money on unnecessary or duplicate items.
    • Create a calmer, more intentional holiday atmosphere.

    Sustainable actions are not only good for the planet - it’s great for your wallet, too.

    The holidays often stretch budgets. Organizing helps you celebrate smarter, not pricier and helps to prevent future clutter by shifting buying habits toward quality, durability and necessity.
    • Repurpose what you already own: A cookie tin becomes a holiday card storage.
    • Donate or regift unused items.
    • Avoid last-minute spending: When your pantry, gift closet, or decorations are organized, you won’t panic-buy things you already had.

    Here are a few ideas to weave sustainability into your holiday:

    Decorating: Use natural elements (pinecones, greenery, cinnamon sticks, dried oranges) or reuse last year’s decor in new ways. Less plastic, more personality!
    Wrapping: Wrap using reusable gift bags, saved ribbons and fabric or even maps. Add a sprig of greenery for a stylish eco-touch.
    Save on Groceries: Plan your pantry! Organize baking supplies and meal ingredients ahead of time to avoid buying duplicates (and to make cookie-baking stress-free).
    Donation: For every new gift received, pick one you already own to donate. It’s a “one in, one out” rule with a charitable focus for your family. It’s never too early to teach your kids to go through their things to donate what they aren’t using (or outgrown).

    Giving purposeful gifts that don’t become clutter.
    • Experiences - theater tickets, museums, spa gift card, cooking class or a local adventure. (Have you heard about sf bucketlist?)
    • Consumables - make fancy olive oil, cookies, bread or even a hot chocolate kit
    • Subscriptions - audiobooks, wine or coffee clubs, craft clubs, flowers
    • Time - babysitting, pet sitting, dinner date
    • Donations - support a cause in someone’s name

    Remember, sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing the celebration – it just means celebrating smarter. I say, bring on the festive lights, cookies and holiday cheer – without the post holiday meltdown.

    Try as you might, you probably won’t be able to avoid shopping altogether. When you are shopping this holiday season, here is some insight you might want to know about the psychology of pricing.

    I just read this information recently and thought it was a fascinating window into tricks merchants sometimes use to lure you into purchases. This is from Nick Kolenda’s book, “Methods of Pricing.” He says that you can change the price tag’s color or size to make the consumer think they're getting a better deal … fascinating!

    Here are some of the observations he wrote:
    • Colors - The color red will grab attention (especially true for men) and can make the consumer less price-conscious.
    • Fonts - Fonts that are hard to read and ugly-looking letters make you stop and focus on the deal.
    • Type size - small type can make it seem like a good deal and makes you think it’s a better bargain than the larger type price tag.
    • Wow words - pairing descriptors with prices can also make you feel you’re getting a better deal. They claim that saying “small $5 fee” seemed cheaper than saying “$5 fee.” On the same note, using “only” before a price or saying “for a low price” makes the brain think it's a better deal.
    • Signs - using a bright colored sign makes you think it’s on sale, even when it’s not.

    I know I’m going to test out this theory the next time I’m shopping. Let’s see if we agree with Nick!

    I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!